West Mids CND mark UN A-bomb treaty and call for UK to sign up - The Coventry Observer

West Mids CND mark UN A-bomb treaty and call for UK to sign up

Coventry Editorial 31st Jan, 2021   0

THE West Midlands branch of CND has welcomed the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – and is calling on the UK to join the signatories.

The treaty comes into force today, Friday, January 22 having been signed by 86 countries and ratified by 51.

West Midlands CND had been planning to celebrate and promote this treaty by gathering with banners in local town centres.

However lockdown has made this impossible so they’ve organised a virtual demonstration by gathering on Zoom and holding up




posters.

Campaigners are now aiming to put pressure on the UK government to sign up to the treaty.


Among other provisions it states that signatories will not “develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices”.

States can also sign while they still have nuclear weapons, provided they are removed from operational status and have a transition plan in place for eventual disarmament.

As well as the virtual demonstration campaigners plan to lobby local MPs and display posters in our windows.

Gill Cox , co-ordinator of West Midlands CND said: “Nuclear weapons make the whole world unsafe – both for those who do not have them and those who do, by making them a target.

“They do nothing to address the real threats we face such as the current pandemic and climate change and waste vast amounts of money.

“Our government is currently refusing to sign the treaty and therefore play its part in making the world a safer place and we must put pressure on them to do so.”

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